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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · bark · mug · craft · cap · bulb · trunk · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mug — a face
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bat — the animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bark — to shout
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — to rob
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a cup
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of a car

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com